Rehabilitation for Guillain Barre syndrome: Analysis of the Australian rehabilitation outcomes dataset

To examine the outcomes of inpatient rehabilitation for Guillain Barre Syndrome (GBS) survivors using

the Australian Rehabilitation Outcomes Centre (AROC) database. De-identified data from the AROC

database was analysed for all rehabilitation admissions during 2003 - 2008, using 4 classes for

functional level. The outcomes included: Functional Independence Measure (FIM) scores and FIM

efficiency, hospital length of stay (LOS) and discharge destination. Of 577 case episodes 58% were

male, mean age 56.7 years, 91% were discharged to the community and 64.8% (n = 374) were in the

lowest functional classes (217, 218 and 219). The majority of GBS survivors were treated in the public

hospital system (434 versus 143), and had a slightly longer LOS compared with patients treated in

private facilities (30 versus 24 days, p 0.004). The FIM for all classes (216 - 219) showed significant

functional improvement during the admission (p < 0.000). As expected those in the most functionally

impaired classes showed most change (FIM change: 10 in class 216, 37 in class 219). FIM efficiency was

highest in classes 217 and 218. The year -to -year trend was towards reducing hospital LOS however

this was not significant (p = 0.721). The AROC dataset is a valuable research tool for describing

rehabilitation outcomes. However more specific information needs to be collected alongside the core

AROC data to allow more meaningful evaluation of outcomes for GBS rehabilitation.